Thom Bresh
Thom Bresh | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Thomas Charles Bresh[1] |
| Also known as | Tom Bresh |
| Born | February 23, 1948 Hollywood, California,U.S. |
| Died | May 23, 2022(aged 74) Nashville, Tennessee,U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actor, stuntman |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1951–2022 |
| Labels | Kapp,Farr,ABC |
| Formerly of | Merle Travis |
| Website | Official website |
Thomas Charles Bresh(February 23, 1948 – May 23, 2022), sometimes spelledTom Bresh,was an American country music guitarist and singer. Active from the 1970s, Bresh charted multiple singles on theBillboardHot Country Songscharts.
Biography
[edit]Bresh was born on February 23, 1948, inHollywood, California,as the son of country singerMerle Travis.As a child, Bresh began acting in films and recording his own music.[2]He also worked as a moviestuntmanat the Corriganville Movie Ranch.
In 1963, he was a member of the rock and roll bandThe Crescents featuring Chiyowhen they recorded an instrumental track, "Pink Dominos". Producer Kim Foley issued this as a 45RPM single with "Breakout" on the B-side. "Pink Dominos" peaked at No. 69 on theBillboardHot 100in early 1964.[3]
He then released a solo single aboutD. B. Cooperwhich was withdrawn due to controversy over its subject matter.[4]
Starting in 1972, Bresh recorded forKapp Records.His first charted single, "Home Made Love", made number six on theHot Country Songscharts in 1976.[5]This was included on an album of the same name for Farr Records. Due to the song's success, Bresh was nominated by theAcademy of Country Musicas Top New Male Vocalist that year.[4]
Bresh recorded two albums forABC Recordsas well:Kicked Backin 1977 andPortraita year later, both produced byJimmy Bowen.Cash Boxmagazine reviewedKicked Backfavorably, saying that Bresh had "[a] perfectly mellow voice and vital tracks with excellent material and interpretation".[6]Record Worldmagazine published a positive review ofPortrait,calling the album "versatile" and noting the variety of musical influences.[7]Included onPortraitwas a cover of "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"which featured Bresh performing thirteen different impersonations.[8]
Bresh hosted a weekly television variety show of his own creation,Nashville Swing,was a regular onThe Merv Griffin ShowandDinah!,[8]and made a guest appearance on theTNNspecialA Salute to the Country Greats.As a producer, he has been employed by country legendJerry Reed,classical guitaristValerie DuChateau,andMerle Travis.As a videographer, Bresh has shot, produced, and edited projects forHank Thompson,Lyle Lovett,Brooks & Dunn,George Jones,Tanya TuckerandJerry Reed.[9]
Bresh was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2021. He died in Nashville on May 23, 2022, at the age of 74.[10]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]| Year | Album | Label | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Homemade Love | Farr Records – FL-1000 | |
| 1977 | Kicked Back | ABC Dot – DO-2084 | |
| 1978 | Portrait | ABC Records – AB-1055 | |
| ? | Bresh and Brody Live! | Double B Ent. 0051 | w/ Lane Brody |
| 1993 | Son Of A Guitar Pickin' Man | Belle Meade Records – BMCD-193 | |
| ? | Next Generation | Belle Meade Records – BMCD-494 | |
| 1992, 1993 | Live & Pickin'! | Belle Meade Records – BMCD-195, DCM Digital Records – DCM100 | |
| ca 1995 | The World's Greatest Guitar Pickin' Entertainer In The World | Legend LR-109 | live album, enhanced reissue of BMCD-195, feat. Buster B. Jones |
| 1999 | Wires To The Wood | DCM Digital Records – DCM101 | |
| 2001 | Guts & Steel [Groovemasters vol. 5] | Solid Air Records – SACD2025 | w/ Buster B. Jones |
| 2002 | Down & Not Too Dirty | Bresh Entertainment? | |
| 2011? | @ Home | ? | |
| ca 2013? | Guitar Boy | ? | |
| 2018? | Time | ? |
Singles
[edit]| Year | Single | US Country[5] | US AC[11] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Homemade Love" | 6 | — | Homemade Love |
| "Sad Country Love Song" | 17 | 37 | ||
| "Hey Daisy (Where Have All the Good Times Gone)" | 33 | — | ||
| 1977 | "Until I Met You" | 57 | — | Kicked Back |
| "That Old Cold Shoulder" | 48 | — | ||
| 1978 | "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" | 78 | — | Portrait |
| "Ways of a Woman in Love" | 74 | — | ||
| "First Encounter of a Close Kind" | 84 | — | singles only | |
| 1982 | "When It Comes to Love"(withLane Brody) | 77 | — | |
| 1983 | "I'd Love You to Want Me" | — | — | |
| "Somebody Like You" | — | — |
References
[edit]- ^Family Tree Legends
- ^"Thom Bresh biography".AllMusic.RetrievedNovember 2,2019.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2013).Top Pop Singles 1955-2012(14th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 201.ISBN978-0-89820-205-2.
- ^ab"New career stuns stuntman".The Jackson Sun.June 25, 1976. p. 12.RetrievedNovember 2,2019.
- ^abWhitburn, Joel (2017).Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017.Record Research, Inc. p. 52.ISBN978-0-89820-229-8.
- ^"Country Singles Reviews/Album Reviews"(PDF).Cash Box:48. July 2, 1977.
- ^"Country album picks"(PDF).Record World:74. April 29, 1978.
- ^ab"Tom Brest [sic] visits Huntingburg".The Herald.June 19, 1978. p. 22.RetrievedNovember 2,2019.
- ^Thom Bresh's official biography[permanent dead link]
- ^"Country Guitar Great & Top Showman Thom Bresh Passes".25 May 2022.
- ^"Adult Contemporary chart results".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon November 2, 2019.RetrievedNovember 2,2019.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Pat Bovenizer InterviewatNAMM Oral History Collection(2016)
- Thom Breshdiscography atDiscogs
- Thom BreshatIMDb
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1948 births
- 2022 deaths
- 20th-century American guitarists
- 20th-century American male musicians
- ABC Records artists
- American country guitarists
- American country singer-songwriters
- American male guitarists
- American male singer-songwriters
- Country musicians from California
- Guitarists from California
- Singer-songwriters from California
- Musicians from Hollywood, Los Angeles
- Deaths from esophageal cancer in the United States